


The Remaining Few

by hockersbrickntile



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Alcohol, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Apocalypse, Season 3 episode 8: Twilight, Starvation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28849305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hockersbrickntile/pseuds/hockersbrickntile
Summary: As the pandemic rages around us and death & destruction are everywhere - things are feeling a bit apocalyptic. While in quarantine, I was inspired to re-watch and write about the season 3 episode "Twilight" in which the Earth is destroyed, Archer and T'pol leave Enterprise, and Trip becomes captain. I focused on the missing years the episode didn't show. This is a story about coping with the end of the world. AU. Purely platonic. Written from Hoshi's POV.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Denial

Chapter 1: Denial

Hoshi sighed in frustration. This won’t help, this is a waste of time. She stared at the blank screen before her. What was she even supposed to say? Phlox, was a Denobulan, and though well intentioned, he just didn’t get it. He didn’t understand the loss or feeling hopeless… He could still travel to his home world if he wanted to. It wasn’t as if Denobula was destroyed like Ea- like Earth. Hoshi felt her nose tingle and her eyes water. Though it had been over a year since the Xindi destroyed Earth she still felt raw when thinking about it. 

God, so much had happened so quickly. Captain Archer was infected with a devastating parasite, T’pol took command of Enterprise, Earth was obliterated out of existence, and the latest news just came through the pipe … T’pol was stepping down as captain. Commander Tucker would be the new captain. For some reason, the news felt like a blow. Not that she didn’t trust the Commander, no, she trusted him with her life… he was just so young. It felt like they were all unprepared and being blindly thrown into a whirlpool. And if she was being honest, she didn’t like the thought of T’pol and Archer leaving the ship. Because of the chaotic mess they were stuck in, she craved stability. The constant influx and loss of people were making her anxious.

Which is why Phlox wanted you to journal your feelings. To speak them out loud and actually process them instead of bottling everything in and pretending that everything is all right. Nothing is all right anymore. 

She closed her eyes, sighed once more, and spoke, “Computer – begin recording – Ensign Sato’s Personal Log – March 15, 2154.”

Hoshi took a breath. Then watched as the words she uttered appeared on screen.

“I don’t really know what to say. Kind of ironic really. A linguist with nothing to say. But how do you give words to the unspeakable? Earth was destroyed over a year ago and it has been … difficult. No. That’s not accurate. That’s putting it mildly. It’s been a nightmare. A God-awful, soul sucking, inescapable horror film style nightmare. Ev-Everything is gone. My family, my friends, my students back in Brazil. Brazil is gone. The culture, the history, all the monuments, all the beautiful plants and animals. All the people. Wiped out. The entire world just stopped existing. How can you even try to process that? What’s gone is never coming back. And that doesn’t feel real. Every morning I wake up and it takes a moment to remember. I treasure those brief seconds before reality comes crashing in. I wish. Oh I wish so many things. I wish that Captain Archer was okay. I wish that we managed to destroy the weapon. I wish that … we didn’t fail.”

Hoshi covered her face with her hands and felt wetness. “Computer – stop recording.” The system made a soft beeping noise and Hoshi wiped her eyes in frustration. 

Her shift was starting in a few hours and she did not need the red eyed, puffy look of someone who had spent the day sobbing hysterically. A few crew members had come to shift like that and others broke down crying while on duty. It was never pleasant for anyone involved. 

She decided to take a quick shower and maybe grab a light breakfast from the mess hall. Today was going to be a big day.

Hoshi managed to keep it together while saying farewell to Captain Archer, which was no easy task. The crew had lined the halls and had bidden the ailing captain goodbye with heavy hearts. Phlox had escorted him into the waiting shuttlepod. 

As it was, currently they were orbiting a dry, desert like planet called Centauri Prime that was now Earth’s refuge. A colony of sorts was being established by the few remaining survivors. 

While watching a somewhat confused Archer board the shuttlepod that was destined for the dry land below – Hoshi felt something inside of her die. 

She quickly shook off the feeling. She leaned to one side and softly asked, “Travis, are you okay?”

Travis had been severely injured on the day the earth was destroyed. The right side of his face and head took the brunt of the damage and despite Phlox’s best efforts, Travis had lost his eye and still had dizzy spells and migraines. 

“I’m good Hoshi. Thanks.” Tears were running down ‘the good side’ of his face. 

Malcolm who was standing at attention on the other side of Travis, flicked his eyes over and muttered, “Keep it steady helmsmen, this bloody business is almost over.” 

Travis nodded and hastily wiped his face on his sleeve. Hoshi gave Malcolm a faint smile and Malcolm nodded in return. Then his eyes caught something over her shoulder, and he murmured, “ah. Here they come.”

Immediately they all returned to attention. Back straight and chin up. Look the part of confident and in control even when your insides are crumbling, Hoshi thought bitterly. 

Commander – no – Captain Tucker and T’pol walked steadily toward the launch bay. Hoshi felt her breathing hitch as she noticed the change in uniforms. T’pol was out of her Starfleet blues and into her common, Vulcan clothes, while Commander – damnit no – Captain Tucker wore yellow on his shoulders and had four pips on his chest. Four.  
The two walked between the crew, who lined the corridor, without glancing left or right. Once they got to the exit hatch, they both paused. T’pol turned towards Trip and calmly said, “Captain Tucker, Enterprise is yours. I bid you good fortune and success on your mission.”

Trip held her gaze and nodded. T’pol took a step back and held up her hand in the Vulcan way and said, “Live long and prosper.”

Then T’pol gracefully turned and left Enterprise. Forever.

A silence followed. 

Though she was meant to have eyes forward, Hoshi glanced sideways and could see and angled view of Trip’s face. He looked as devastated as she felt.

She couldn’t even begin to imagine what was going through his mind right now. Like all the others onboard he had lost his remaining family back on Earth, but unlike everyone else, he had just lost his best friend. Well physically anyway. You could argue that Captain Archer was ‘gone’ since that anomaly struck. But no matter what, the reality was, that the stabilizing and commanding force formerly known as Jonathan Archer just walked out the door. Trip was alone and now in charge of an impossible situation. The pressure he must be under…

The new captain spun around to face them. His face was void of any emotion. He quickly marched through the assembled crew and once passed, called out over his shoulder, “dismissed!”

One month later.

Establishing the last outcrop of humanity was challenging to say the least. The entire crew was run ragged. Double shifts, meetings, projects, overwhelming stress, and nervous breakdowns were becoming all too common. Hoshi’s workload alone had tripled. The confusion, urgency, and emotional turmoil made for a heavy and toxic mix.

Food, water, and shelter were the main obstacles they had to address quickly and without fail. Needless to say, resources were stretched to the breaking point. Half of the stored food supply and re-sequencers on the ship went down to the colony. That meant that those on board Enterprise had to reduce rations by one third. Essentially the crew only received two meals a day. (AKA “brunch” and dinner). Some of the water recyclers also were removed so showers were reduced to three minutes a day and laundry could only be done once every other week. 

All the passenger ships that traveled in the convoy to Centauri Prime were disassembled and their parts used as raw materials for the 5,782 human colonists. The only other warp capable vessel with adequate weapons was the Intrepid – and that ship had missing parts as well. During the Xindi attack it was still under construction at Jupiter station. However, someone wisely decided to set the unfinished ship to warp and by a miracle it was spared from the Xindi rampage. 

However the Intrepid seemed like a lone miracle in a sea of setbacks. Unexpected issues kept appearing – and there were no easy solutions. For instance, government. The colonists craved leadership and a say in how things got done. But what kind of government can a group of scared and traumatized people assemble? Questions, conversations, outcries, and threats about democracy, monarchy, socialism, and dictatorship swirled around and around in a never ending circle. Issues about agriculture, irrigation, housing, supplies, medical care, logistics, counter-intelligence, and safety jammed the communications relays for weeks on end. 

More than once Hoshi heard Captain Tucker’s muffled voice raised in anger through his ready room door. In these instances Malcolm would catch her eye across the bridge and shake his head in wonder. There was one retired admiral that survived the attack and he seemed to want to control both Enterprise and the Intrepid – much to the frustration of both captains. Though Captain Tucker had yet to refuse any of the admiral’s calls, Hoshi was under the impression that Captain Tucker didn’t see eye to eye with the retired admiral, and that the admiral was definitely wearing on the frayed patience of the captain.

Another roadblock which was disheartening but predictable was the wave of xenophobia that flowed through many of the remaining humans. Many terrified survivors looked on any aliens with paranoia and resentment. As a result, relations were strained with groups who were once considered allies. Vulcans were thought by many to be heartless for not intervening, Andorians too war-like and potentially dangerous, Denobulans too different and therefore not trustworthy. The list went on and on. 

Though he never said anything to her, Hoshi could only assume that Phlox felt the shift in mood. Certain members of the crew refused to sit near or engage with the once cheerful doctor. Three weeks after arriving at Centauri Prime, Phlox resigned, and set off for Denobula. The good doctor contended that he needed more resources and information to continue searching for a treatment for Captain Archer. Hoshi couldn’t help feeling betrayed. And she was ashamed of that. It was noble, really, the doctor’s loyalty to Archer and the spirit it took to never give up … but they needed Phlox too. And he just left. Like the rest. 

There were only a dozen or so actual doctors that survived and made it to Centauri Prime. They had several medics left on Enterprise but with Phlox gone and doctor’s in such short supply, for the first time ever, Enterprise had no doctor. 

Hoshi found out firsthand why that was a problem around a month after T’pol and Archer’s departure. 

She was sitting at her station reading an incoming message from the colony – this one in particular was an Emergency meeting request. Retired Admiral Boefor was tenacious, she’d give him that. 

Ever the professional, Hoshi kept her voice neutral as she spoke from her station on the bridge, “Captain, you have another ‘Senior Officers of Starfleet Emergency Meeting’ request from Admiral Boefor.”

Captain Tucker, consumed by the numerous data pads before him didn’t even glance up from his chair as he asked, “What time’s it start Hoshi?”

“Now Sir. He claims it’s urgent.”

The captain sighed. “I suppose I can’t ignore his majesty, now can I?”

Hoshi gave a small half grin and looked back to her screen. However out of the corner of her eye she caught an aborted movement followed by a thud and a gasp.

Startled she looked up and saw Reed standing up from his console and the captain on his knees. 

“Sir! Are you alri--?” Reed all but barked as he came rushing around his station and offering Captain Tucker his hand.

“--I’m fine! I’m fine!” But it was said with such a strong southern accent that it sounded more like, “Ahm fine! Ahm fine!”

The captain pulled himself up shakily using the chair behind him. Once standing he seemed to tilt for a second before regaining his balance. Reed put a hand on his elbow to steady him.

Concern laced every word as Reed asked, “Are you quite sure? Why don’t I call –”

“I’m fine Malcolm. Really. Just gettin’ ma sea legs. Musta tripped or somethin’.”

The joke fell flat as Reed continued to gaze at the other man with worry. Hoshi picked up on the drawl and shakiness of the captain’s voice. His accent was much more pronounced, exceedingly so – she wondered if that signified something? She looked down worriedly and noticed to her surprise that she was standing.

After a short pause Captain Tucker patted Reed’s shoulder and stepped passed him. “Yah have the bridge Malcolm.”

As the Captain walked away, Lieutenant Reed’s gaze never wavered from the captain’s back. Malcom was worried. Hoshi felt her own fear grow. 

Around two weeks after the “incident” it became clear that they had a problem.

They were standing around a patrol map discussing defensive maneuvers during the morning senior staff meeting when the captain went down hard.

Hoshi had noticed he was thin, pale, and tired looking. But the entire crew looked that way. Too many sleepless nights, stress, and sorrow will do that to a person. 

All the same, when he just suddenly crumpled, Hoshi felt her heart constrict.

This time it took a few seconds for the captain to rouse as the crew rushed around him in a flurry of activity.

Reed was crouched down, one hand on the captain’s pulse and the other on the captain’s chest, as he monitored heart rate and respiration. Without looking up Reed ordered the new science officer to call in the medical team. She jumped and scurried to do his bidding. 

After a few seconds of silence, the captain softly but adamantly tried to wave her off. “No, it’s okay. I’m fine – “

Hoshi surprised herself and spoke without thinking, “with all do respect Sir, clearly you are not fine.” She knelt next to Reed and put a hand on the captain’s bony shin. She gave it a squeeze and stared at him dead in the eye, daring him to contradict her.

His eyes had a dazed look about them and he was so pale. Hoshi felt her stomach lurch. Something was wrong. Something was horribly, uncontrollably wrong. 

The captain finally broke his dull gaze and looked away. He sat up slowly with both Reed and Mayweather supporting him. He spoke softly and said, “Jus’ feel a little light headed is all.” Sweat shined on his forehead. He was so pale his skin almost looked grey. 

Travis who was crouched on the captain’s other side and had his hand gently supporting the captain’s shoulder, was looking at the captain in confusion. “Sir,” he said slowly, “when was the last time you ate something?”

Hoshi felt Reed stiffen besides her. She looked back at Captain Tucker and then everything clicked into place. The glazed eyes were sunken into deep eye sockets that protruded over sharp cheek bones. The tendons stood out on his thin neck. Hell, she was gripping his bony leg. 

Hoshi felt sick. Her captain (her friend) was exhausted, starving, overwhelmed, and grieving. And she had failed to see it. Travis – who was blind in one eye – picked up on it! What did that say about her as a friend? She was furious. At herself, at the captain, at the situation, at everyone and everything. She knew the captain didn’t eat brunch because he never left the bridge during that time. He was always either in a meeting, or in his ready room, or damnit sometimes even in engineering. She fucking knew his schedule! She was the one who organized his calendar and informed him about the meetings! He didn’t have time to—

The rest of Hoshi’s thoughts were cut off by Trip’s mumbled, “dunno.” And the arrival of two medics.

One immediately pulled out a med scanner and the other started asking a litany of questions without really pausing to hear an answer. Amateurs, Hoshi thought darkly.

This continued for a minute or two. Reed was looking between them and finally snapped, “well? What’s wrong? Or are you just going to stand there all day?”

The ensign with the med scanner looked nervous and softly said, “hypoglycemia, sir. Dehydration. Umm, obvious exhaustion. Nutritional deficiencies --”

Reed waved off the rest of the list. “Fine. Fine. Are we safe to move him off the floor?”

Both medics nodded.

“Good. Travis help me. We’ll take him to his quarters. On three – one, two, three.” The two men hoisted the captain between them.

Trip protested feebly. Hoshi was intent on following the trio when Malcolm said, “Hoshi you have the bridge.”

Reality slammed like a gut punch. She froze in place as a thousand thoughts assaulted her. She, Hoshi Sato, was the acting captain of Enterprise and the only protector against annihilation of the human race. Obviously, it was only for a few minutes, but she couldn’t help but feel the edges of panic creep in and grip her soul.

She watched as the two medics scampered off after the three men and whispered, “yes sir” to a nearly empty bridge.

She couldn’t even sit in the captain’s chair. The weight of responsibility was too much to contemplate facing. Instead she was awkwardly bent over the helm station, pretending to read the screen.

Within a few minutes Reed came back and nodded to her. Hoshi was so relieved to see him she wanted to throw her arms around him and give him a tight hug. She refrained. Of course.

“How is he?” She asked instead.

Reed slowly sank into the captain’s chair, “with any luck resting comfortably. I ordered Chef to bring in a meal and several drinks besides coffee.” He smiled wryly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I ordered him off duty for the rest of the day. But as you and I both know, I don’t actually have the power to do that.”

They both paused.

“There’s no medical over-ride.” Hoshi spoke her thoughts out loud again. “With no doctor on board there is no one to relieve the captain of duty.”

“Unless there is a mutiny,” Reed said sarcastically. A second later despair filled his eyes. “For a second there, I really did think he was going to fight me. Luckily, he did listen to reason. But I foresee this being a continual problem. Our Captain Tucker seems utterly convinced that one meal and a few decent hours of sleep will cause the end of humankind.” Reed shook his head and looked disturbed. 

“We have to intervene,” Hoshi said flatly.

Reed looked at her, listening, waiting for her to continue. Her mind ran in fifty different directions trying to find a solution. After a moment she blurted, “Captain’s mess!” Reed look puzzled. “What if every night we go and eat dinner with the captain? The three of us. You, me, and Travis? I know that Archer, T’pol and the captain used to dine together.” 

Reed looked thoughtful as he considered the suggestion. He nodded slowly. “It would be an ideal way to keep an eye on him.”

Hoshi felt compelled to add, “it would be an ideal way for us to keep an eye on each other.”

Hoshi turned her back on Malcolm but still said loud enough for him to hear, “I can’t lose any more friends.”


	2. Anger

Chapter 2: Anger

Hoshi Sato’s Personal Log May 1st, 2154.  
If it is possible, things seem to be getting worse. I thought nothing could top the destruction of Earth – but I was wrong. The aftermath is … impossible. The colony isn’t working. The ship isn’t working. Hell the crew isn’t working. Nothing, I mean, nothing is okay. 

Trip isn’t eating or sleeping. To some degree I understand. I have insomnia and I definitely lost my appetite too. But another part of me thinks that we need him to be strong. I remember that when his sister died - he threw himself into his work so he didn’t have to deal with the emotional pain. Everyone could see he wasn’t coping well with her death. And this, this blow is so much worse. And as a consequence he is disappearing. Drowning in work, stress, failure, and anger. But he can’t just waste away! If he fails, Enterprise fails, and if Enterprise fails, so does the colony and that means bye-bye humanity. Maybe it is unfair to put that amount of pressure on one person… but who else is there?

Travis is trying to put on a strong face, but I know he is grieving in his own way. The accident to his skull really affected him. He is scarred on both the outside and the inside now. His family hasn’t been heard from in months. Sure it could be just a communication delay – we are in deep space after all. The last we heard, they were joining up with another boomer convoy… however no one has heard from them since. Everyone knows what this means – but no one has come out and said it yet. I fucking hate watching the hope drain from his eyes day by day.

Malcolm – oh Malcolm. His walls were just starting to come down when the attack happened. Now his walls are up so high and built so thick I doubt I will ever get to see the real Malcolm again. He became a soldier. A cold, unfeeling, professional shell of his former self and I doubt we will ever be able to get the old Malcolm back. I know Malcolm wasn’t close to his family and I gather that he didn’t have a lot of friends, but the destruction of Earth hit him just as hard. He seemed to take it as his personal failure. As if the Armory Officer is solely responsible for what we, collectively as a ship, couldn’t achieve. Malcolm seems to alternate between guilt, anger, and aloofness in a never ending cycle.

And me? I’m angry. I’m angry at the Xindi for attacking, at us for not stopping it, I’m angry at the colonists, the Vulcans, Star Fleet, anomalies, Archer, T’pol, Phlox, god I’m even angry at my damn computer! I’m angry that Trip’s warmth was beaten out of him, that Travis doesn’t smile anymore, and that Malcolm is lost. 

I’m starting to hate the ship. The food is sparse and terrible. Water is being rationed more strictly. The corridors are getting dirty and smudged because no one has time or the supplies to clean anymore. I can’t really shower and the grime is building up. There’s no down time. I never thought I would say I miss this, but there’s not even those awful movies that Trip used to love showing on movie-night. The crew no longer has the time or inclination to gather and enjoy something. For some reason it feels disrespectful, like we are betraying those who died if we smile or have a small moment of joy.

Work is very consuming and hectic. Everyday I speak to irate colonists, desperate “officials,” bereaved crewmates, indifferent alien species, and try to make it work. Everyone has a list of demands – it is impossible to meet them all. I have never felt so overwhelmed in my life. Plus I have some voluntary and several assigned extra shifts to help out other sectors on the ship. 

And do you want to know the worst part of all this? It’s that I want to go home and home does not exist anymore. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Malcolm rang the door chime and a muffled southern voice shouted, “come in.”

Malcolm, Travis, and Hoshi all entered the Captain’s mess with grim determination. Hoshi swept a critical eye over the Captain and wasn’t pleased. Trip was still rough looking with stubble, shadows, and exhaustion consuming his face. Hoshi noticed that his jaw stood out more because his cheeks were hollow. On a positive note though, he wasn’t as pale and actually had a bit of color today, and for that, Hoshi was glad.

Trip was sitting at the table with several pads laid out in front of him. His eyes were still sweeping the words before him when he gestured to the table and said, “have a seat.”

Malcolm seemed to be doing the same thing as Hoshi and was giving Trip an appraising eye as he slunk into his seat. He didn’t say anything though. 

After several moments of silence it was Travis who finally broke the quiet.

“You’re looking a bit better Sir! Still a little thin though.” 

Trip glanced at Travis and gave him a small and fake smile. “Chef said the meal will be here in a minute.” Hoshi noticed that because of the weight loss, Trip’s face was so much more angular now.

Another awkward pause ensued as Trip continued reading from one of the pads in front of him.

“So … what are we having?” Travis said, desperately trying to start a conversation. 

One of the pads started beeping. The captain scanned them all until he found the offender. He gave the pad a dirty look, typed something rapidly, and then went back to reading the original pad.

Travis fidgeted and then cleared his throat. “Ah, Sir?” 

Without missing a beat Trip mumbled, “probably spam with a side of awful.”

Reed snorted. Travis looked surprised. Hoshi was impressed. The captain’s ability to multi-task was remarkable. 

A moment later a different pad started beeping and simultaneously a steward came in pushing a small trolley. The steward put all the dishes on the table along with their beverages, gave a small nod to the captain and left. 

Trip continued reading from the still beeping pad.

Malcolm loudly cleared his throat. Trip looked up and had the grace to look sheepish. He turned off the noisy device and pushed all of the data pads to the side. “Let’s eat,” Trip said, and though it was said lightly, there was no joy in the tone. 

It turns out they were having some kind of soup. Hoshi smiled at the Chef’s thoughtfulness. 

However, after only a few bites the comm went off, “Ensign Blakely to Captain Tucker.”

The captain dropped his spoon, leaned back, and hit the comm, “Tucker here.”

“Sir, Admiral Boefor is on the line. He says he has new patrol routes for both Enterprise and the Intrepid. He is also ordering us to –”

“ – got it ensign. Thank you. That will be all.” Trip ended the call.

For a moment no one moved. Trip sat frozen, staring but unseeing at the table before him. Hoshi couldn’t get a read on him. Was he angry? Jaded? Embarrassed? 

Trip spoke, “Computer begin recording message to Retired Admiral Boefor.” The computer chirped. “Sir, your request is respectfully declined. No further communication to this ship would be appropriate. Enjoy your retirement. Signed Captain Charles Tucker III, Enterprise, NX-01. Send.” The computer chirped again. 

Travis looked shocked, Hoshi couldn’t help but feel pleased, and Malcolm leaned back in his seat and said, “Here, here captain.” Taking heart from Malcolm’s approval, Trip said, “That felt good. The guy doesn’t know a thang about the Xindi, current technology, or diplomatic relations. Hell, he retired before Enterprise was launched. And the old bastard is Xenophobic to boot.” Trip released a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. The relief on his face was palpable. Hoshi raised her glass, “may the good feelings keep coming. To Captain Tucker!” Suddenly, they all had small grins on their faces. They raised their glasses and toasted a blushing Trip.

Feeling victorious, Hoshi was sipping at her water when the comm went off again. The damn comm.

“Engineering to Captain Tucker.”

Hoshi felt the mood quickly evaporating. She saw the same disappointment in Travis’ face. Reed looked impassive and stoic.

Trip sighed as he pushed the communications button. “Tucker here.”

“Sir, the intermix ratio is out of alignment again. We’ve already tried –”

“—I’ll be there in a minute. Just hold tight.” He looked at them all quickly and said, “sorry. Another night?” He was already standing when Reed protested, “But Sir, the meal?”  
The captain, grabbed two breadsticks (or what passed for breadsticks) out of the center dish, probably in a vain attempt to appease them and said, “sorry Lieutenant. Duty calls. If the intermix ratio isn’t right, we blow up and die. Y’all enjoy the rest of the food.” He quickly walked out the door without a backwards glance.

The comm went off again. “Bridge to Captain Tucker.”

Reed threw his napkin down on the table in frustration. 

“Is it always like this?” Travis asked. “I mean I know everyone’s workload increased, and I know he is the captain, but that is insane.”

Hoshi felt anger and resentment bubbling inside of her. Not being able to stop herself she said, “I think engineering over-relies on him… Really the whole crew over-relies on him.”

She sneaked a peek at Reed and to her surprise saw him nodding in agreement. “The captain is trying to put out so many fires, he doesn’t even realize he is killing himself in the process.” Reed stated this without any intonation or facial expression. 

And what could anyone say to that? 

They finished the meal in complete silence.

Later that night, hours after the failed dinner and extra duties, Hoshi was alone in her quarters, picking absentmindedly at her stained sleeve. The doorbell chimed and without much enthusiasm she shouted, “come in.” It was probably Crewmen Alvarez needing another explanation on how to work the damn UT. Alvarez was one of the newest additions brought onboard from the colony. He had been assigned to replace an ensign that had been killed months ago at the hands of the Xindi. So far, Alvarez wasn’t up to the task, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Enterprise was desperate for replacements.

To her surprise, Travis walked through the door. “Travis!” she greeted.

“Hey Hoshi, just checking in to see how you were.”

She raised her brows at that. “I’m fine…?” Why was he concerned?

Travis meandered into the room and took a seat at her desk chair. Belatedly she realized that she didn’t offer him a seat. She was out of practice – when was the last time she had a friend visit?

He gave her a serious look, “the thing is – “ he hesitated before continuing. “ – I don’t think any of us are fine.”

They sat in silence for a moment. Hoshi couldn’t honestly argue against him. He gave her a searching look, with his one good eye, and she bowed her head in agreement. 

His voice was gentle as he spoke. “Look, I know you’re upset by how today went. And I just wanted to let you know that I am still here. If you ever wanted to talk, I am always willing to listen."

Hoshi felt her insides melt. He had completely thrown her off her game. And for a horrible moment she felt as though she would start to cry.

Holding back she managed to sputter, “thanks Travis, you’re a good friend.”

He gave her a small smile. Idly she wondered if she would ever see one of his dazzling, mega-watt smiles again. He spoke earnestly when he said, “you are too.”

She scoffed at that and looked away. She felt a horrible mix of rage and shame. “No. I’m really not,” she spat bitterly.

“What do you mean?”

She spun on him, feeling her emotions spiral out of control, “Travis, I haven’t been a good friend to you! Or to Trip! Or to Malcolm! Or to anyone!” God, when had she stood up?

Travis looked utterly bewildered. He opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. She didn’t want to hear it. 

She realized she was getting close to shouting but she couldn’t lower her volume if she tried, “I should have been there for you! You lost an eye Travis! And your family… but I haven’t come to you. Or offered you a shoulder to lean on. When was I ever supportive of anyone? I haven’t done anything! I just sit here and feel sorry for myself! I’m so self-absorbed I didn’t even see Trip struggling. YOU did! And –”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You’re surprised I can see? I am not actually totally blind. I am still capable of a few things.” Travis interrupted her rant, looking furious and hurt. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Oh Travis! No! I didn’t mean that! I’m sorry –” Hoshi felt tears in her eyes and she took a step towards him. Guilt tore through her. “Travis –” she said in anguish. The tears came hot and fast.

Travis held up his hands, “listen, this isn’t what I came here for. I don’t want to fight. We are already at war. I don’t want us to get torn apart Hoshi. We’ve been friends for a long time. Please stop trying to push me away.”

Hoshi gulped and quickly brushed away the tears on her cheeks. She couldn’t stop crying. 

“Let’s… talk about this.” He handed her a handkerchief he had from his pocket. She took it as a peace offering. 

She was incapable of speech, but she nodded hastily at him. 

“I think you have walled yourself off,” Hoshi cringed at his words, but he continued without flinching, “but you’re grieving. Just like everyone else. And if you need time and space to mourn, that’s fine by me.”

She wiped her face with the hanky and glanced at him. He was a gem. An honest to goodness gem. Now she felt even worse for the shit she said earlier. 

“Hoshi, you can’t blame yourself for what other people are going through. Guilt doesn’t work in a place like this. We are all just trying to get through an impossible situation. If you want to be more supportive, then just be more supportive. But don’t consider all of your actions so far as some sort of horrible mistake. And keep in mind that you can’t control what other people do or how they react. You aren’t to blame.”

Hoshi couldn’t say anything. She had made mistakes, whether he wanted to acknowledge it or not.

He gave her a knowing look, “I saw your face when the captain fell, I think I got a pretty good idea about how you feel. And I guess I can understand why you are surprised that I noticed first. But consider the fact that I don’t see Trip constantly. The helm’s station is pretty far aft on the bridge. I actually hear you guys more than I see you. So it’s just easier for me to spot changes. Think about it. You are not a self-absorbed, evil, villain. You are doing the best you can, just like the rest of us. So please. Stop. Beating. Yourself. Up.”

He searched her eyes and then gave her a small grin as he said, “The ship doesn’t need an angry force field named Hoshi.”

Hoshi gave him a watery smile. “I can try. I will try.”

Travis stood up and clapped his hand on her shoulder. “That’s all I can ask.”

Hoshi dove in for a hug. She whispered into his shoulder, “I am sorry Travis. You need to hear me say it. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you.”

Travis gently rubbed her back and said, “we can get through this together. Okay? Together? I’m not goin’ anywhere.”


	3. Bargaining

Ensign Sato’s Personal Log – July 31, 2154

It still doesn’t feel real sometimes. That everything and everyone is just gone. Earth. All the precious components that made Earth home – disintegrated. Gone. Vanished. Destroyed. Annihilated. Extinct. Slaughtered. I miss my family. My friends. My students. Neighbors. Celebrities. Even total strangers. I miss the sounds of birds chirping, and salty sea air, blue skies, and a warm sun. I want it back.

I thought I experienced loneliness before… but now...There’s nothing I wouldn’t give to go back to that. I never realized how good it was before. What’s the age old saying – you don’t realize a good thing until it is gone? Something like that. If only… we could find a way to go back in time. Maybe we could contact Daniels? Or maybe we can figure it out on our own? Enterprise has some of the smartest humans left – if anyone can figure out time travel - it’s this crew.

Who am I kidding? We are stuck here. With this… this loss. It still feels like there is a hole in my chest. The loss of history, society, culture, and a future is unfathomable. The day to day isolation now is exquisitely painful.

I just wish things could be different. I’d give anything if things could be different.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trip never regained any substantial weight, but he didn’t pass out again on duty either, so Hoshi took it as a win. Unfortunately, the rest of the crew followed his lead. Pounds were easily shed from bones as rations became increasingly strict. Calories and water intake were all closely monitored and continuously calculated. Rumor had it that once the colony (and yes they still called it the colony – it would never be home) started planting and harvesting crops that the burden would be lifted off Enterprise. Hoshi was actually impressed, that re-sequencers and a stockpile of food meant for a crew of eighty could feed six thousand people several times a day for this long. However, there was still some primal fear in her that whispered about starving to death. 

They tried several more times to have dinner with the captain, but like the first time, he was inevitably pulled away from eating by one disaster or another. Hoshi remained on high alert until she noticed Malcolm acting strangely. One evening, when they were all pulling a double shift, Reed excused himself from his station, and left the bridge. He had been giving the captain’s ready room door measured glances for hours. After several minutes of stillness, Travis looked back and gave her a subtle raised eyebrow. Several minutes after that, Reed returned. He exited the turbolift holding a tray from the messhall that contained two heated ration containers. Reed didn’t look at any of them as he marched towards the captain’s door and rang the chime. Hoshi didn’t hear an answer, which was saying something because she had damn fine ears, but Reed pushed a few buttons and the door slid open anyway. He walked in without hesitation. Hoshi loved it. And Travis had a small smirk. 

After that, it became pretty commonplace for Reed to bring food into the captain’s ready room. Hoshi never heard any words exchanged between the two men so she could only assume that the captain kept working throughout the meal. And Reed, well, he wasn’t the most talkative so that seemed to work out just fine. 

A week or so later the captain made a ship wide announcement that Lieutenant Reed would be promoted to Commander Reed, and would finally, and officially be recognized as First Officer. A cheer went up on the bridge which made Reed blush at his station. Captain Tucker was grinning as he made the announcement and seemed delighted at making Reed squirm in his seat. 

It was then that Hoshi noticed that the captain’s hair had started turning grey.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that same day, the lieutenant, no, the commander invited them to his quarters for a private celebration. 

Hoshi and Travis arrived together, and a seemingly nervous and fidgety Malcolm invited them into his obsessively neat room.

“Welcome. Please do come in.” Reed gestured to the chair and bed, “please have a seat.”

Hoshi quickly glanced around Malcolm’s room and happily asked, “so tell me, how does it feel being promoted to commander, Commander?”

Travis, who was sitting on the bed grinned, “Yeah sir. Does it feel any different from lieutenant?”

Malcolm who was collecting mugs from his locker paused and said with dry humor, “Oh the change is quite remarkable. You have no idea.”

Malcolm assembled the mugs on a little platter on his desk. “Really the best part about being the new commander is that now I finally have a reason to break out this liquor. I hope it is still good. I’ve been holding on to it for quite some time.” And with that he reached in his footlocker and pulled out a tall and handsome bottle.   
Immediately Hoshi’s interest was peaked, as the writing on the bottle was not any Earth language. She was about to ask where he got it when the doorbell sounded.

“Enter!” Reed called.

A tired, but grinning, Trip walked in. “Sorry I’m late. The meeting ran over.”

Trip saw the bottle and smirked, “Ah, commander, pulling out the finest I see.”

Malcolm looked pleased. Then uncertain. “I hope you don’t mind. Fraternization and drinking in a subordinates quarters…what was I thinking?”

Trip waved him off as he sat down next to Travis. “That we’re all friends? And off duty. Relax Malcolm.”

Hoshi could still see Malcolm hesitate. Apparently, Trip could see it too. “I seem to recall ordering you drink in a freezing shuttlepod, Malcolm, don’t make me order you again.”

Reed slowly grinned, Cheshire like. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”

Malcolm poured the liquid into the four waiting mugs. And handed the cups out to everyone. 

Holding the ceramic mug in one hand, Trip reached into his pocket and pulled out a small object with his other hand. His eyes met Malcolm’s and he stood up from the bed. “Well, now seems like the time to give you this. I’m sorry we couldn’t have an actual nice ceremony Malcolm.” 

Malcolm shrugged indifferently and held out his hand, palm up, to accept whatever Trip was offering. 

“Congratulations commander on the well-earned promotion. Enterprise is sure lucky to have you.” Trip said honestly and then pressed something into Malcolm’s waiting palm.

Hoshi looked down and saw a silver pip glistening in Malcolm’s hand. Malcolm looked moved, he was speechless and staring down at the pip with wide, bright eyes. Travis looked pleased, his eyes were flicking back and forth between Trip and Malcolm. For his part, Trip looked happy, smiling down at Reed’s expression. Hoshi felt a smile blooming on her own face. And she lifted her mug, “to Commander Reed.”

The three men raised their own mugs and clinked their glasses with hers. They all took a sip of the brown liquor. 

After a moment, Travis said, “not bad,” in a high pitched voice.

Trip gave a soft cough and said, “that tasted like fire.”

Hoshi giggled. Wow that burned. She felt her eyes water. 

“That’s bloody awful,” Malcolm said while eyeing his drink suspiciously. 

Trip huffed a laugh. He reached for the bottle, “where did you get this?”

Travis tried to covertly wipe his own eyes.

Malcolm responded, “Raisa. You remember that little market we went to? I had a member of my team pick it up for me after we returned to the ship.”

“Gotta say, it cleans out the sinuses well,” Hoshi said diplomatically. 

Malcom snorted. Travis chortled and turned it into a cough. 

Trip sat back down, bottle still in hand, and the others followed his lead. 

Soon they had a stream of easy banter going and the jokes and toasts came rather freely after that. They avoided dark and potentially triggering topics like master tacticians and the evening flew by without incident. Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Hoshi couldn’t remember feeling this at ease in a long time. She was smiling widely as Travis talked excitedly about the potential for adding a steering wheel to the helm when Malcolm suddenly said, “I hate to interrupt, but we seemed to have lost a member of our group.”

And sure enough, wedged between Travis and Malcolm, Trip had leaned back against the wall and had fallen asleep. 

“He didn’t hear any of my wheel proposal, did he?” Travis asked only half-jokingly.

Malcolm snickered. “I’m afraid not.” He gently shook Trip’s elbow and received no reaction. “This has been enjoyable - but with our fearless leader down for the count and shift starting early tomorrow, perhaps we should call it an evening.”

Hoshi stumbled to her feet, the room swayed, but she didn’t topple, “aye commander. Dawn waits for no man.”

Travis saluted her solemnly. He then also attempted to stand, flailed for a bit in mid-air, and then sat back down with a plop. Trying to play it off, he pointed to the captain. “What about Trip? I mean between the three of us we can probably get him to his quarters.”

Malcolm dismissed the idea with a shake of his head. “Nah, he can sleep here. I can kip out on the floor.”

“You sure?”

Malcolm nodded easily, “mhmm. Here let’s get him flat.”

Malcolm and Travis managed to stand up and between the three of them they were able to tip the captain over sideways and lie him flat on the bed. Malcolm clumsily tossed a blanket over the prone figure and adjusted the pillow. Hoshi was touched to see the mother-hen like gesture. Trip remained out for the count. Hoshi noticed that his thin face relaxed in sleep. He looked young. Vulnerable.

“Poor lad,” Malcolm mumbled while toying with the greying hair along Trip’s temple.

Hoshi wasn’t going to comment but Malcolm caught her gaze and unexpectedly added, “he’s several years younger than me, you know?”

Hoshi hadn’t known, but thinking about it, she could see it. He’d been promoted fast, but in reality, Trip was only a few years older than her. 

Hoshi nodded at Malcolm and rubbed his shoulder. She could only give him small comfort. 

Travis spoke up, startling both Hoshi and Malcolm from their reverie, “it’s a good thing, he has you Malcolm. He needs you. Relies on you. You watch out for him, like Captain Archer did.”

Reed visibly brightened. Hoshi felt better too. Even if she couldn’t be there for her friends, at least they were there for each other.


	4. Depression

Chapter 4: Depression

Today was a dark day. One of those awful days where her thoughts kept spinning, filling her with anxiety, dread, and sorrow. Hoshi was laying on her threadbare bed staring blankly at the wall. She had just gotten off duty and had immediately rushed to her quarters seeking the comfort of her own space. Unfortunately, her extra shift was supposed to start in a half an hour. Hoshi did not feel like getting up again. Ever. She felt miserable and closed her eyes as she fought the sting of tears. Yeah, she would be calling in sick for her next shift.   
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ensign Sato’s Personal Log January 7th, 2155

Yesterday I stayed in bed all afternoon and night. I couldn’t stop crying. I actually missed my shift in the kitchen. A part of me feels guilty for skipping and another part of me doesn’t care. 

For some reason, I started thinking about my parents’ cat yesterday. His name was Mr. Miko and he was an old, sweet, scruffy thing. He used to love carrying his toys around in his mouth. And he was always up for a good cuddle. God, I just remembered… Mr. Miko was incredibly vocal. He could chirp at the birds for hours. He… he didn’t deserve to die. None of them did. 

Are cats extinct now? What about dogs? As far as I know Porthos is the only dog left alive. The thought makes me sick. It’s not fair. It’s not right. They were all so innocent. 

Mr. Miko was blown apart by the Xindi weapon. 

And here come the waterworks again. 

Okay I have to stop. My shift starts in … 37 minutes. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Hoshi was only a minute or two late for bridge duty. She hoped she looked okay. It wasn’t until a quick check in the mirror this morning to see if her eyes were still red that she realized she hadn’t brushed her hair in three days. Oops.

She slid into her station quietly. The chair was still warm from the ensign on gamma shift who vacated the seat as soon as the turbolift doors opened.

Hoshi felt somebody watching her and when she glanced up, she was surprised to lock gazes with Reed, and not Travis. She gave him a terse nod and he returned the gesture. 

She looked down at her main computer and inwardly groaned as her inbox quickly filled with “urgent” communications. It was going to be a long day. She felt her anxiety creep up another notch.

After several hours, Hoshi felt like a zombie. It didn’t matter how many messages she replied to, several more would materialize and take the place of the first. They were hailed repeatedly. One of the sub-space amplifiers went offline. And because of new security protocols, the few personal letters being sent had to be read and censored. Meetings, messages, requests, all had to be prioritized and dealt with accordingly. 

At some point, Reed walked briskly up to her, leaned in, and softly asked, “are you all right, Ensign?”

Hoshi was flustered, but tried not to let it show, “Yes sir. Busy day today.”

“I was more or less referring to last night, Ensign. You didn’t report for duty. And you were late to your shift this morning. As First Officer, it is my duty to check in on the staff.”

Hoshi felt her cheeks grow warm. “I’m sorry about that commander. I was ill. I should have called in sick.” She suddenly felt self-conscious about her messy hair tied up in a ponytail, red eyes, and grimy uniform. 

Reed continued to stare at her. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Still speaking softly, he said, “see that it doesn’t happen again.” Casually, but briskly, he walked back to his station. 

Hoshi blinked and was surprised to see that the bridge was nearly empty. The captain was no doubt in a meeting in his ready room, and Travis’ brunch replacement was at the helm. She appreciated Reed’s discretion. However, she was still mortified. Her eyes welled with tears. Oh Hell no, she thought desperately. Calm down. Do. Not. Cry.  
It took several minutes, but she backed away from the edge of a sobbing fit. In an attempt to distract herself she focused exclusively on her work. 

*

How she got through that shift, she will never know. She ended up going for brunch around 1400 and could only peck at her food. When she returned to the bridge, she saw the captain and commander in deep conversation. 

As we walked to her station she heard the tail end of Captain Tucker saying, “ – beg, borrow, or steal ---”

The captain must have caught her movement out of his peripheral vision because he turned around and said, “Hoshi, I need you to message the Vulcan High Command, the Andorians, and whoever else is on our friendly list. Tell them, I need to speak with them.” He gave her a dry smirk that did not reach his eyes, “mark it ‘urgent’.” 

“Yes sir.” Hoshi replied and began pressing buttons. She wondered what was going on. The captain looked grim. Behind him, Reed looked stoic as always, but his arms were crossed and his jaw was clenched. 

Captain Tucker walked over to the helm next. He stood on Travis’ good side. “Travis, take us directly over the center of the colony. Impulse only.”

“Aye sir.” Travis began working the helm, adjusting course, and slowing down the ship. 

Hoshi had just finished and sent the message to the Vulcans when she heard Travis say, “we’re here sir.”

The captain was sitting in his chair, a data pad in hand. He glanced up, “put Camera 3 on the viewscreen.” The image before them switched to a space scene. With his eyes still on the screen, the captain asked, “long range sensors are on?”

“Aye sir.” Reed confirmed.

Captain Tucker nodded. “Travis, maintain a geo-synchronous orbit with the center of the colony.” 

“Yes sir.” Travis replied. 

Hoshi’s spine prickled. Something was happening. Usually they patrolled around the planet – endlessly circling – and on the constant lookout for approaching Xindi. They never stayed still. 

The captain pressed the comm button, “Tucker to Hess.”

“Yes captain?” Lieutenant Hess replied a few seconds later.

Tucker looked at Reed, who took a deep breath. “Shut down the warp reactor, Lieutenant. Reserve power only.”

There was a pause. Finally Hess said, “will do, sir.” The captain ended the call. Just moments later there was a subtle shift in vibration on the ship. 

The bridge was quiet. The captain had one hand rubbing along his jaw – it looked like a nervous gesture. Hoshi couldn’t help but notice how tense he looked. Reed still sat with his arms crossed. And Travis sat with his back unnaturally straight. Hoshi finished the message to the Andorians while keeping half an eye on the others. 

The captain finally spoke, “I want all the senior staff assembled in 10 minutes for a meeting in the situation room.”   
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Hoshi learned that the problem was fuel, or more specifically, the lack thereof. 

Apparently, Enterprise, and by default the Intrepid, were slowly but steadily running out of fuel. In an attempt to curb the flow, all non-essential systems were shut down. The captain stressed that the ship needed to save where it could. 

The issue stemmed from the fact that the ship couldn’t return to Jupiter Station and re-load on dwindling supplies. Jupiter Station, Mars colony, even the International Space Station were all destroyed right alongside Earth. There weren’t any storage deposits of anti-matter left for human use. Thus, why Hoshi was instructed to contact several alien species. They were going to have to beg or barter supplies from their allies.   
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
It was around five weeks later when "it" happened. Hoshi was sitting in her quarters when all the lights suddenly and inexplicably, went dark. All was quiet except for her loud breathing. Hoshi tried not to panic but the sudden pitch black was deeply unsettling. She literally couldn’t see her hand in front of her face. Her immediate thought was of the Xindi. That they had somehow gotten on board. In fact, one of those freaks could have crept in her cabin, and could be standing right next to her, pointing a weapon at her head. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She couldn't tell if she was alone in her room or not. The fear she felt was indescribable. She couldn't help thinking that this was it. This was how she was going to die. Alone and in the dark.

And then just as suddenly, the dim, emergency backup lights kicked on. Hoshi let out a shaky breath and glanced around her empty cabin. She heard a faint swoosh as things began to re-charge. Ah yes, she thought, the backup power was finally coming to life. She swallowed. 

The comm beeped and Trip’s voice filled the ship, “This is the captain. Sorry about that folks. The reserve power supply is running now and will hold out until our friends show up with some more energy. In the meantime, reserve power only. Y’all can find flashlights and other supplies in the emergency kits located around the ship. We will get through this. Just hold tight everyone. Tucker out.”

Though the news he shared wasn’t exactly great, Hoshi felt relieved none the less. His voice was like a balm to her frayed nerves.

She made her way to her footlocker and opened one of the Star Fleet issued emergency kits. True to his word, there was a shakable flashlight stored in there along with a few medical supplies, and a couple of old ration packs. 

Hoshi grabbed onto the flashlight and held it to her chest. She flicked the beam on and closed her eyes.

The darkness wouldn’t win. They would get through this.


	5. Acceptance

Chapter 5: Acceptance

Lieutenant Sato’s Personal Log February 18th, 2158

Looking back now, it still can seem surreal at times. So much has happened so quickly. If you would have asked me a decade ago, what my life would have been like, I wouldn’t have been able to imagine this. 

It is incredible to think that one event held so much power. But when the Earth was destroyed, it set into motion so many life altering changes, that I still can’t wrap my head around it. Everything and everyone changed. Some of the changes were good. For instance, I am closer to my friends now more than ever. We have become family. We depend on each other. In fact, I now call Enterprise home. This crew is my crew. I feel connected to all the remaining survivors, especially those aboard this ship. Our mission has changed, Enterprise has changed, but we are holding steady under the captain’s leadership. We made it. Together. 

Some of the changes obviously weren’t so good. I still miss the fun loving nature that Trip had. I will always miss the humor and contagious joy that Travis used to exude. I continually miss the softer side of Malcolm Reed. And of course, I will always miss Earth. Nothing will be able to replace what once was. But I can now accept the fact that Earth is gone without feeling my heart shatter. 

The future isn’t necessarily bright, it is truthfully quite uncertain, but the fact that I can talk about a future is something. I, we, survived, and though damage was done, we made it to the other side. That’s something of an accomplishment, I think. Of course I’m not naïve. There will be struggles and more difficult times ahead…but I think we will be okay. 

Of the few of us who remain – we will keep fighting to survive.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Hoshi walked through the smudged and dimly lit hallways on her way to shift and acknowledged that she hardly registered the grime anymore. Hell, she was dirty. She ended up cutting her hair because she couldn’t handle the greasy strands getting close to her face. And laundry? Laundry was every other month and she only had three uniforms. Cleanliness wasn’t at the top of anyone’s priority list anymore.

She remembered, it was years ago now, that Enterprise used to be spic and span. Gleaming hallways and a pristine crew. Now… not so much.

She got aboard the slow moving turbolift and pushed the button for the bridge. She wondered how the colony was getting along. Two days ago, the dry, desert like planet they patrolled over decided to have a massive dust storm with hurricane force winds. Reports were flooding in about ruined agriculture, contaminated water, destroyed buildings, injuries, and a few deaths. Even one of the highly coveted generators went offline – apparently smothered in building debris and clogged with grit. Some of the Enterprise engineers were going to be sent down to the site in a desperate effort to fix the damn thing. 

The lift arrived and the doors rumbled their way open. She was surprised to hear raised voices as she stepped out and onto the bridge.

The captain was standing near the captain’s chair, glaring at the Colony’s head ambassador, a man named Doss, whose face was being projected on the main viewscreen. 

“—it’s out of the question.”

“Captain, the colony is in desperate need of supplies, surely you can understand –”

“—Oh I understand perfectly, Ambassador. And the answer is still no. It’s our piece of equipment and we’re not gonna give it up.”

Hoshi watched the Ambassador grind his teeth. The man spoke eloquently enough but his tone was unbelievably condescending and haughty. 

“Captain Tucker, surely you can see that the needs of the colony outweigh the needs of a single star-ship? Especially one so derelict as Enterprise.”

Hoshi watched as the captain gripped the headrest portion of his chair in a death grip. He was fuming. Captain Tucker never had any problem voicing his opinion or contradicting authority figures. However, since the destruction of Earth, his temper was always dangerously close to the surface. He definitely had an incredibly short fuse nowadays – one that Doss just lit. 

The captain snarled back, “Ambassador Doss, surely you can see that this warp-5 capable STAR ship is the only thing standing between the Xindi and the colony. I will not surrender somethin’ we need and rely on daily. I’m sending in a team of engineers and that’s the best I can do for yah.” In his agitation, the captain released the chair and began to pace. 

Hoshi noticed Lieutenant Mayweather and Commander Reed enter the bridge one after the other and sit at their respective stations. Travis kept his face neutral as he looked through his systems at the helm. Reed, on the other hand, took a quick look at the ambassador and then focused his attention squarely on the captain.

While the rest of the alpha shift crew took their seats, Captain Tucker paced closer to Reed. The captain did a sudden about-face and Hoshi was dismayed to see that he didn’t look well. Perhaps it was only a trick of the light, but he looked especially ragged. His uniform was downright baggy on him and he had dark circles under his eyes. 

Hoshi looked down and bit her lip with worry. As she listened to the tone of the two men, she had a bad feeling that there was going to be an explosion soon. Things were escalating.

The ambassador sounded exasperated as he nearly shouted, “Tucker! Be reasonable! They told me you were a smart man. A team of engineers? That’s not good enough– not nearly good enough! We need your power source so that--”

The captain who was nearing Reed did another abrupt turn so he was once more facing Hoshi. He caught her eye and held her gaze. He spoke in a voice that was cold with rage, “you’re wasting my time Doss. There’s nothing more to discuss. The team will be down within the hour.” He made a horizontal slashing motion with his hand and Hoshi cut the call.

The silence on the bridge was short lived though. He rounded on Reed and nearly growled, “last time we sent a team down, some of the supplies went missing. You’re gonna go down too and make sure that this time the colonists don’t steal anything. Got it?”

Reed gave a nod, stood, and made his exit.

The captain turned to Travis next. “Mayweather, you’ll pilot the pod since I don’t trust the transporter with this weather. Be careful when you land – there will be a lot of debris down there.”

“Aye sir.” Travis stood up and also made a hasty retreat.

And finally the captain turned towards her. “Lieutenant Sato, if Doss hails us again, just repeat the message that a team will be down shortly, and hopefully they can fix the damn thing. Under no circumstances will Enterprise be giving up its only backup power source. They already have all of our other ones – but they’re not getting this one. Understood?”

“Yes sir.” Hoshi held his gaze evenly.

“Good.” The captain nodded, then started walking away from her and towards his ready room. “I have some log entries, the daily report, a meeting, schematics from engineering, and proposals from security to review yet this morning. You have the bridge Hoshi.” The door slid shut behind him as he walked out. 

Hoshi got up and purposefully walked towards the captain’s chair. She would be ready for when the ambassador inevitably called again. If the ambassador wanted to verbally spar, well then who better than a linguist to take on the challenge? Aside from bringing Trip a meal later, she had all fricking day to bring this guy down a peg. Bring it on she thought, then smirked as she sat down. Right on cue, the hail chime sounded, and a second later she pressed the comm button.

“Morning Ambassador Doss.” 

She gave the ruffled looking man a cool smile and leaned back in her seat. She was a survivor - she could take on anything. 

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To anyone in the world who is reading this - thank you! I appreciate you! :D
> 
> As you've probably noticed, I am not a great writer (all my English teachers can attest to that lol) so this work is more of a pay it forward piece than an exhibition of my talent.
> 
> I am extremely grateful to all the other writers out there who share their work - as I am an avid reader. I love taking a little time out of my day to get wrapped up in a compelling story. Recently, I was ill with COVID-19 and with that ample downtime, naturally I did a lot of reading, but upon reflection, I decided it was high time to contribute to the AO3 community. Hence how this story came to be. Many chapters were written while I was in isolation and my thoughts and experiences are reflected within the work. 
> 
> Anyway, if there is anyone out there who has enjoyed this - then I am so glad. I would love to be able to provide some entertainment and/or joy to anyone going through a tough time, like so many other authors have done for me. 
> 
> Stay safe folks and take care!


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